Ternary copolymers and casting of films thereof



I casting films thereof.

Patented July 26, 1949 TERNARY COPOLYMERS AND CASTING OF FILMS THEREOF Edward L. Fiedler, Midland, Mich., assignor to The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application June 27, 1946, Serial No. 679,879

2 Claims. (Cl. 26086.5)

This invention concerns new solid ternary copolymers and a method and compositions for It pertains especially to aqueouscolloidal solutions of certain of the copolymers, which solutions, when spread on a solid surface, dry to leave a smooth continuous film of the copolymer. It also pertains especially tu the particular new copolymers which may thus be cast as smooth films from the aqueous colloidal solutions.

The copolymers provided by the invention are of a monovinyl aromatic compound, an aliphatic conjugated diolefine and a vinylidene halide chemically combined in proportions such that the polymeric product contains at least 5 per cent by weight of each of the three kinds of monomeric compounds just mentioned. The polymeric products vary from soft rubbery materials to hard resins, depending upon the relative proportions of vinyl aromatic compound, diolefine and vinylidene halide of which they are composed. In general, an increase in the proportion of vinylidene halide in the copolymers, particularly above a value of 40 per cent b weight, tends to cause hardening, or embrittlement, of the copolymer. With increase in the proportion of the vinyl aromatic component in the copolymers, films of the latter become more resistant to tearing, but such increase above a value of about 60 per cent by weight usually causes the copolymer to be hard, or brittle. Increasing proportions of the diolefine component result in softening, or the development of rubbery properties, on the part of the copolymer. For instance, the ternary copolymers of styrene, butadiene and vinylidene chloride which contain 60 per cent or less of styrene, at least 25 per cent of butadiene and 40 per cent or less of vinylidene chloride are rubbery materials which may be used as substitutes for rubber, e. g. in electric insulating compositions, or as coating materials for fabrics, paper, or wood, etc. The invention pertains especially to copolymers of vinyl aromatic compounds, diolefines and vinylidene halides chemically combined within the range of proportions last stated. Most ternary copolymers having compositions outside said range are thermoplastic resinous materials which may be used, alone or in admixture with other thermoplastic resins, in preparing molded articles.

Among the rubbery copolymers provided by the invention are certain ones which, when colloidally dispersed in water, may be cast directly from the dispersion as smooth continuous films by spreading the dispersion on a solid surface, e. g. ofwood, paper, glass, or metal, and permitting it to dry.

It is not necessary, in order to obtain such film, that a plasticizing agent, or other organic diluent, be present in the colloidal dispersion; hence, films of the copolymers free of plasticizing agents are readily prepared. If desired, a plasticizing agent, or a coloring agent, etc., may, of course, be incorporated in the aqueous dispersions prior to casting the films. The ternary copolymers best adapted to such film casting operation are those composed of between 15 and per cent by weight of a vinyl aromatic compound, between 35 and 60 per cent of a diolefine and less than 25 per cent of a vinylidene halide. In particular, the copolymer of about 40 per cent styrene, 40 per cent butadiene and 20 per cent vinylidene chloride, when thus cast from an aqueous colloidal solution thereof, forms a clear,'colorless, transparent, flexible film having good resistance to discoloration by light. This film, when cast upon wood or paper adheres tightly to the supporting member and forms a coating thereon. This copolymer and aqueous colloidal solutions thereof are preferred species of the products provided by the invention.

Examples of monovinyl aromatic compounds which may be used in making the ternary copolymers are styrene, ortho-methyl-styrene, meta-methyl-styrene, para-methyl-styrene, ortho-ethyl-styrene, meta-ethyl-styrene, paraethyl-styrene, para-isopropyl-styrene, vinylnaphthalene, etc., and also mixtures thereof. All such compounds have the vinyl group attached directly to a carbon atom of the aromatic nucleus. Of the vinyl aromatic compounds just mentioned, styrene is preferred.

The aliphatic conjugated diolefines which may be used in preparing the copolymers are ones having from four to six carbon atoms in the molecule. Examples of such diolefines are butadiene- 1.3, isoprene, and 2.3-dimethyl-butadiene-1.3, etc. Mixtures of two or more of the diolefines can be used.

As the vinylidene halide component of the copolymer, vinylidene chloride is preferred, but vinylidene bromide or vinylidene chlorobromide, etc., may be used. Also, a mixture of two or more of such vinylidene halides may be employed.

merization catalyst. In practice, the polymerization is preferably accomplished by forming an aqueous emulsion of the polymerizable compounds and heating the emulsion under pressure, e. g. in

of sodium bicarbonate. The butadiene was introduced into the vessel under a pressure sufficient to liquefy the same. The mixture was agitated to effect emulsiiication and then heated the invention.

Exams: 1 Ineach of a series of experiments, about 50 parts by weight of the polymeri'zable compounds, styrene, butadiene and vinylidene chloride, in therelative proportions indicated in the followa closed vessel, usually at temperatures between 5 with continued agitation at a temperature of 50 and 100 C. until the polymerization is nearly about 95 C. until the decrease in vapor pressure complete. Any of the usual emulsifying agents, of the mixture, resulting principally from cone. gssoaps, sulphonic acids of aliphatic and alkylsumption of the butadiene in the polymerization aromatic hydrocarbons of high molecular weight, reaction, was nearly complete. The time of or sodium or potassium salts of-such sulphonic heating, in different runs, varied from two to acids,etc.,maybeusedinpreparing the emulsion. thirty hours and usually was in the order of After completing the reaction, the copolymer from fifteen to twenty hours. After completing product may, if desired, be coagulated or precipthe reaction, the vessel was cooled, the pressure itated in known ways, e. g. by freezing the mixreleased, and the resultant aqueous colloidal ture, or by adding thereto a coagulating agent '15 solution of the product was removed. Each such such as hydrochloric acid, sulphuric acid, sodium solution was cooled sufllciently to cause coagulachloride. or calcium chloride, etc., and beseption of the polymeric product and the latter arated from the mixture and dried. The products was-removed from the liquor. washed with water, thus separated may be compounded with usual and dried. The dried product was treated with rubber-compounding agents, e. g. vulcanizers, go per cent of its weight of carbon black, 10 per plasticizers, antioxidants, pigments, -.or fillers, cent of dibutyl sebacate, 4 per cent of sulphur, etc., and be heat cured to eifect vulcanization 4 per cent of zinc oxide, 2 per cent of mercapthereof. However, the aqueous colloidal .solutobenzothiazole and. 1 per cent of stearic acid tions of ternary copolymers of from 15 to 50 per and themixture was compounded, rolled into a cent of a vinylaromatic compound, from 35 to :5 sheet and cured by heating under pressure to 80 per cent of a diolefine and from 5 to per 148 C. for 20 minutes. Standard test "strips 'cent of a vinylidene halide, obtained by the werecut from the, cured sheet and'were used emulsion polymerization reaction, may be apin determining the tensile strength, the per cent plied directly, e. 8. by brushing, spraying, or ultimate elongation and the Shore durometer dipping,-to a solid surface such as that of wood, hardness of thematerial. The tensile strength paper, or steel, and be dried at room temperaand per cent elongation values were determined ,ture or at an elevated temperature to obtain in accordance with'directions giveninA. S. T. M. a thin uniform film of the copolymer. The film D412-39T. The following table gives the per. thus obtained is flexible, resistant to discoloracent by weight of styrene, butadiene and vintionby light, and, when formed on a surface ylidene chloride employedinmaking each copolyof, wood or paper, adheres tightly to the supportmer, based on the combined weight of these com- .ing surface. If desired, a vuicanizing agent, e. g. pounds. It also indicates whether the copolymer, sulphur, etc., may be incorporated in the emulprior to being compounded and cured, was resinslon prior to casting the film and the latter may ous or rubbery, and it gives the tensile strength thereafter be heated to eflect vulcanization of 40 in pounds per square inch of initial cross section, the same. l the per cent ultimate elongation value and the The following examples describe certain ways Shore durometer hardness of each compounded in which the principle of the invention has been and cured product. v I

Table Oopolymer ol- Componndsd and Cured Product Styrene surmise a Per Cent' .Per Cent Per Cent 2,627; I Elongation m 70 10 so 930 110 15C 64 10 20 r n 1, m 270 40 0 2o 20 00 r n .900 so as 0 so so no m 30 140 as 25 20 m 2,050 so as o 2s 2s Rub so so so r n 2,040 190 1a 0 00 as s n 1,880 am 40 i 40 20 n 2,150 210 40 o 20 l 40 40 an 2,010 110 00 0 so a0 20 sac 300 1a 0 an 00 so do 480 r90 :00

applied, but are not to be construed as'limiting Exams: 2

Aqueous colloidal solutions of copolymers of styrene, butadiene and vinylidene chloride, which 65 solutions had been prepared by polymerizing mixing table was admixed in a closed vessel with 50 parts of an aqueous solution consisting of approximately 99.62 per cent of water, 0.16. .per cent of potassium persulphate, 0.13 per cent of Aquarex D (i. e. the monosodium sulphate: esters of a mixture of higher fatty alcohols, principally lauryl and myristic alcohols) and 0.09 per cent at room temperature andatmospherjic pressure- It was observed that such colloidal solutionsof tures of the corresponding monomers in aqueous .emulsions thereof, as described in Example 1, were applied as thin layers both on a surface of glass and on one of paper and were permitted to dry the copolymer of 40 per cent styrene, 40 per cent butadiene, and 20- per cent vinylidene chloride and of the copolymer of 20 per cent styrene, 40

per cent'butadiene, and 40 per cent, vinylidene chloride dried to leave smooth, uniform, transparent flexible films of the copolymers. Colloidal solutions of copolymers richer or poorer in butadiene, upon being similarly applied and dried. did not form films of as good appearance or quality, 1. e. in many instances the films were rough, or became discolored under exposure to the air, or were hard and brittle. It was also noted that the films of the above-mentioned copolymers containing 40' per cent of butadiene, when formed on a surface of paper, adhered firmly as a'coating on the Paper. Films of these same copolymers, of 40 per cent butadlene content, upon being stripped from the glass surfaces on which they were formed, were highly flexible even at temperatures below C., e. g. the film of the copolymer of 20 per cent styrene, 40 per cent butadiene and 40 per cent vinylidene chloride was flexible at 35 C.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed instead of those explained, change being made as regards the polymers or compositions herein disclosed, provided the polymers or ingredients stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated polymers or ingredients be employed.

Number Number I particularly point out and claim as my invention:

A solid rubbery copolymer of approximately per cent'styrene, approximately 40 per cent butadiene and approximately 20 per cent vinylidene chloride, which copolymer may be cast from an aqueous dispersion thereof as a flexible, but tightly adhering, smooth film on a surface of wood by applying a, film of the dispersion to the wood and evaporating water from the film.

2. An aqueous colloidal solution of a copolymer as defined by claim 1.

EDWARD L. FIEDLER.

file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Youker July 10, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 7 Country Date Germany Feb. 18, 1943 

